000 – Stripped Down Selling

A reality check for reluctant sellers (and how to turn your perfectionism into sales)

“No, I’m not particularly stressed,” I told the ER doctor at 1 AM, doubled over from what felt like a knife twisting in my stomach.

(Spoiler alert: I was, in fact, stressed.)

Months earlier, I’d ditched my cushy corporate job to go all-in on my funnel-building business. I had cracked the code on funnel design that converted, and my clients loved it.

But you know how entrepreneurs are. The moment something works, we get this irresistible urge to completely change everything.

I wanted to stop doing done-for-you services and start teaching others. Package up my funnel design system into a course and watch the automatic sales roll in. Simple, right?

I had six months of financial runway – enough to live on and plenty to invest in building the business. Plus, enough time to create a course and sell it.

Now, the course? I had it done in a few weeks. And, I can genuinely say it was my very best effort. I was really, really proud of it.

But when it came to actually selling it? That’s where everything went sideways.

You know that voice in your head that keeps adding things to your to-do list? Mine went into overdrive.

“Can’t launch without a blog!” (Goodbye to two weeks vanished into WordPress purgatory.)

“Can’t launch without a YouTube channel!” (Goodbye to one month learning video editing because heaven forbid I publish something that wasn’t perfect.)

“The webinar pitch isn’t 100%!” (Is it ever?)

“Need more testimonials!” (From the course I hadn’t launched yet. Make that make sense…)

Each day, my bank account got smaller while my launch got bigger and bigger in my head. Everything had to be perfect because… what if someone actually bought my course and then…hated it?

I’d seen enough Facebook rants about crappy courses to fuel my nightmares. One angry customer turns into a social media storm, turns into a ruined reputation, and turns into living in a cardboard box under a bridge somewhere.

(Okay, maybe I was catastrophizing a bit.)

So I did what any rational entrepreneur would do – I kept “preparing” to sell instead of actually selling.

Until I couldn’t anymore.

With two weeks of runway left (and the corporate world beckoning with its fluorescent-lit fingers), I finally launched. To who? Haha, anyone who would listen on my Facebook Profile, which included high school friends, college roommates, a random guy from accounting who still posts motivational quotes on LinkedIn.

I crafted individual DMs to random strangers that I found in business Facebook Groups. Sent emails to my tiny list (and by tiny, I mean my mom and a small group of people who signed up for a lead magnet I had made years before).

And then came the webinar.

And man, was I nervous: sweating bullets, pitching to a room of just…10 people.

But, 10 people showed up! It was enough to start.

And here’s the amazing part – I made three sales.

Gosh dang, it actually worked!

And though I could have never anticipated it, that’s when the real panic hit.

Because now it was real. Now there were actual customers who could hate my product. Now there was something to lose. The fear of rejection wasn’t theoretical anymore – it was just one angry email away.

And that stress? The one I told the ER doctor wasn’t “particularly” bad?

It had literally eaten a hole in my stomach.

An ulcer. From being afraid to sell.

And, with time I learned that I had turned “selling” into something so much more than it actually was.

I wasn’t afraid of the actual monetary transaction.

I was afraid of what selling said about me. What putting myself out there meant. The judgment, the criticism, the possibility of not being good enough.

But now, millions of dollars of sales later, I’m relieved to report to my other fellow perfectionists, that there’s a way to sell without the stress eating you alive (literally). Without the endless preparation. Without the perfect funnel or the fancy blog or the YouTube channel with Hollywood production values.

I learned it the hard way – through late-night hospital visits and a medical bill that reminded me exactly how expensive fear can be.

Gratefully though, you don’t have to walk that same path.

Because once you strip away all the fancy funnels, complicated strategies, and perfectionist tendencies, selling becomes something else entirely.

Something human.

And so, so simple.

Who this Mini Book is for

The Stripped Down Selling Mini Book has been created with a very specific person in mind.

If you’ve ever:

• Felt sick to your stomach at the thought of selling
• Spent weeks “preparing” to sell instead of actually selling
• Worried that being good at sales means being sleazy
• Known you could help people but felt weird about charging them
• Watched others succeed while you stayed stuck in perfectionism

…then you’re in the right place. The purpose of this Mini Book is to make selling so obviously simple that there is no option for any single thing — including your own insecurities — to complicate it.

It’s time to start selling like you (and your customers) deserve.

Let’s get to it.

Why you should listen to me

My name is Kathryn Jones Lish. I’ve made multi-millions of dollars online and have helped my customers generate multi-millions of dollars, as well. Needless to say, I know a thing or two about selling. And though I wish my jump into selling was intuitive, it certainly wasn’t. I had to forge this skill from nothing — it was painful, but it forced me to really understand how selling works. And now, you can too.

I’ve identified the simple, stripped-down framework to win at selling.

Can’t wait for you to start using it so you can win at selling, too.

What you’ll find in this Mini Book

Here’s what you’ll find in this Mini Book:

▷Chapter 1: The right way to sell (and why you’re making it weird)

▷Chapter 2: The two wrong ways to sell (and how to avoid them)

▷Chapter 3: You’re a jerk if you don’t sell

▷Chapter 4: You can’t help everyone

▷Chapter 5: How to find your customers (they’re hiding in plain sight)

▷Chapter 6: You can’t make money if you don’t ask people for money

Chapter 1: The right way to sell (and why you’re making it weird)

Let’s talk about the knot in your stomach that shows up when you hear the word “selling.”

That instant, visceral “ugh” that makes you want to crawl under your desk and pretend the internet doesn’t exist.

(Don’t worry, I’m not judging. Actually, I’m pretty sure my ulcer started developing the first time I heard the phrase “sales call,” haha.)

Here’s the thing though – your aversion to selling isn’t actually about selling at all.

It’s about all the garbage you’ve been carrying around about what selling means.

Ask ten random people what they think of “salespeople,” and I guarantee at least eight of them will start talking about sleazy car dealers, pushy telemarketers, or that one uncle who’s always trying to rope everyone into his latest pyramid scheme.

(You know the one. He’s probably still sending you investment tips on Facebook.)

And because we’re all walking around with this collective trauma about selling, we’ve created this whole elaborate dance to avoid actually doing it.

We call it things like “building relationships” or “providing value” or my personal favorite, “authentic marketing.”

Don’t get me wrong – those things matter. But they’re not selling.

And here’s the kicker: While you’re busy trying to avoid being “salesy,” you’re actually making the whole thing way worse than it needs to be.

You’re overthinking it. Overcomplicating it. Over-everything-ing it.

Want to know what real selling is?

Here it is in its stripped-down, bare-bones glory:

1. Someone is in pain
2. You have the remedy
3. You give them the remedy

That’s it. That’s the whole thing.

No fancy scripts. No ninja tactics. No “psychological triggers” or whatever the latest sales guru is peddling on YouTube this week.

Just this: Can you help someone? Yes? Then tell them about it.

But I know what you’re thinking…

(Look at us, being perfectionist twins! High five!)

Here’s the truth though – all that fear? It’s not about them. It’s about you.

It’s about what you think selling says about you as a person. It’s about your own baggage around money and value and worth.

And let me tell you something I learned the hard way (you remember…the ‘emergency-room-at-1-AM’ hard way): That baggage is way heavier than any rejection could ever be.

Because here’s what happens when you strip away all the fear and complications and just focus on helping people:

Selling becomes… dare I say it… easy.

Not because you’ve mastered some advanced technique or cracked some magical conversion code.

But because you’ve finally realized that real selling isn’t about you at all.

It’s about the people you’re trying to help. Their problems. Their needs. Their desires.

And when you focus on that – really, truly focus on that – something magical happens:

The knot in your stomach disappears.

The fear of rejection fades.

The need for perfection melts away.

Because you’re not trying to be a “salesperson” anymore. You’re just being a problem solver.

(And bonus: No ulcers required!)

So here’s my challenge to you: Stop making it weird.

Stop trying to be perfect.

Stop waiting until everything’s “ready.”

Just find someone with a pain you can remedy, and tell them about it.

That’s it.

That’s selling.

And if anyone tries to tell you it’s more complicated than that?

Well, they’re probably trying to sell you something.

Chapter 2: The two wrong ways to sell (and how to avoid them)

Let’s talk about Minnesota in January.

(Stay with me here – I promise this is going somewhere.)

Picture this: It’s negative something ridiculous outside. The kind of cold that makes your face hurt. The kind of cold that makes you question every life decision that led you to living somewhere where the air actively tries to kill you.

And there you are, shivering, when someone shows up with an extra warm, cozy jacket.

Are you mad at them for trying to sell it to you?

Heck no! You’re ready to throw your credit card at them and possibly name your firstborn child after them.

That’s what good selling looks like.

But here’s the thing – not all selling is created equal. And if you’ve been burned before (haven’t we all?), you need to understand exactly where things go wrong so you can avoid being that person.

Because there are exactly two ways to mess up selling, and one glorious way to get it right.

Let’s break it down.

Wrong Way #1: The Pain Scam

(AKA:  Making Up Problems That Don’t Exist)

This is where some smooth-talking “entrepreneur” tries to convince you that you have a problem you don’t actually have.

For example, let’s say you’re in sunny California.

But a smooth-talking salesman is so convincing that even though it’s 75 degrees Farenheit, they actually make you believe that it is cold – or at least it’s gong to be soon!

“Oh, but don’t you feel a little chilly? That breeze! And what about tonight? What if there’s a freak snowstorm? In Los Angeles? In August?”

So even though you’re sweating through your t-shirt, they’ve manipulated you into believing that the remedy for your “pain” is a winter jacket.

Now, quick pause here.

This type of selling feels scammy because they’re manipulating the pain, gaslighting you into believing that something is wrong that actually isn’t.

What does this result in?

A ticked-off buyer because once the hocus-pocus has worn off, they realize they’ve been duped.

Let me give you another example.

Let’s say you’re scrolling through Instagram and seeing an ad like this:

“WARNING: Is your business DYING because you don’t have a custom-branded pencil sharpener? Studies show that 99.9% of failed businesses didn’t have properly sharpened pencils! Buy our $997 Premium Entrepreneur Pencil Sharpening System now!”

(And yes, I’ve seen equally ridiculous claims. Just replace “pencil sharpener” with whatever shiny object is trending this week.)

This is the first wrong way to sell: Creating panic about a problem that doesn’t actually exist.

You see it everywhere:

• “Your face is aging because you don’t use this $300 cream made from unicorn tears!”
• “Your business is doomed because you’re not using this brand new social media platform that launched yesterday!”
• “Your life is incomplete because you don’t have a gold-plated banana holder!”

They’re not solving real problems. They’re manufacturing problems to solve.

And the worst part? Sometimes they’re so good at it that we actually start believing we have these problems.

(Raise your hand if you’ve ever bought something because an ad convinced you that you had a problem you’d never even thought about before. Yeah, me too.)

This is manipulation at its finest. They’re not solving a real problem – they’re creating fake problems to sell you an unnecessary remedy.

Wrong Way #2: The Solution Scam

(AKA:  Fake Solutions To Real Problems)

This one’s even more sinister because you get preyed on when you’re actually hurting.

Picture this: You’re freezing in that Minnesota winter we talked about.

Someone comes along and says, “Oh, I know exactly what you need – this lovely bikini!”

(Because nothing says winter warmth like a string bikini, right?)

They might have the best sales pitch in the world. They might convince you that this is some revolutionary new cold-weather technology. They might tell you that all the top Arctic explorers are wearing bikinis now.

But at the end of the day, you’re still going to be freezing your butt off.

Another example:

Let’s say you’re struggling to get traffic to your website. That’s a real problem. A legitimate pain point.

Then someone slides into your DMs: “Want 100,000 visitors tomorrow? My secret system guarantees instant viral traffic! Just buy this $47 PDF that explains how to spam 500 Facebook groups in 10 minutes!”

(Spoiler alert: The only thing that’s going viral is your reputation – and not in a good way – for falling for this trap.)

This is like selling someone a paper umbrella during a hurricane:

• The problem is real (you’re getting wet)
• The solution is garbage (paper doesn’t work so well with water, who knew?)
• You end up worse than before (now you’re wet AND out of money)

Other examples in the wild:

• “Lose 30 pounds in 3 days with this magical bean I found!”
• “Make $50,000 this month using my secret LinkedIn strategy!” (Step 1: Inherit $100,000)
• “Drive unlimited traffic by posting your link in these 1995 web directories!”

The pain is real. The solution is garbage.

The Right Way: The Perfect Match

(AKA:  Being Actually, You Know, Helpful) 

Now, here’s where the magic happens.

The right way to sell is embarrassingly simple:

1. Find someone with a real problem
2. Have a real solution to fix the problem
3. Exchange the solution for money

That’s it.

When you do it right, the conversation in their head goes like this: “Holy crap, this is exactly what I’ve been looking for!” (Not: “Hmm, maybe they’re right and I do have a problem I never knew about…”)

Notice the difference:

• You didn’t have to convince them they were cold
• You didn’t have to sell them a bikini for winter
• You just had to show up with a jacket when they were already shivering

This works for EVERYTHING:

If someone’s thirsty, sell them water.

If someone’s hungry, sell them food.

If someone needs energy, sell them an energy drink.

If someone needs website traffic, sell them advertising.

If someone needs organization, sell them project management.

If someone has a poor response rate, sell them improved customer service bots.

When you do it right, nobody’s mad about being sold to.

Think about it – you happily buy things every single day:

Your muscles are sore? You’re thrilled to pay for that massage.

Your accounting is a mess? You’re relieved to find a good CPA.

You’re lonely? (Hello, dating apps – and yes, I met my husband on one, thank you very much.)

If you’re ever questioning whether you’re selling the right way, ask yourself:  

“Would this person be actively looking for a solution like mine even if I never showed up?”

If the answer is yes: You’re on the right track. 

If the answer is no: You might be manufacturing problems. 

If you’re selling them something that doesn’t actually solve their problem, well…you’re in snake oil territory. (Never a good territory to be in.)

The beauty of ethical selling is that it’s actually easier to do than the manipulative stuff.

You don’t need elaborate scripts.

You don’t need psychological tricks.

You don’t need to manufacture fake urgency.

Selling isn’t about being slick or clever or manipulative.

It’s about being the solution someone is desperately searching for.

So, you just need to be the person with the jacket in Minnesota winter.

(Because trust me, people out there, freezing their butts off in their proverbial Minnesota right now.)

Solve real problems with real solutions.

Period.

Chapter 3: You’re a jerk if you don’t sell

Let’s have an uncomfortable conversation about morality.

(Don’t worry, I’m not about to go all philosophy professor on you. But this matters.)

Remember our friend freezing in Minnesota? The one we’ve been talking about?

Let’s say you’re standing across the street. You’ve got a warm jacket. They’re visibly shivering. They have money to buy the jacket.

And you… just stand there.

This leaves them in a lot of pain when you had the capacity to allieve their pain!

Now, not to scold but that kind of behavior seems to fall under the category of something your mama didn’t raise you to be.

Here’s the truth that most “ethical” business coaches won’t tell you: Not selling can actually be worse than selling wrong.

Because when you have a solution and you keep it to yourself?

That’s not being “humble” or “non-salesy.”

That’s being a jerk.

Think about it this way: If you knew the cure for cancer but were too worried about “being pushy” to tell anyone about it, would that make you a good person?

(Obviously that’s an extreme example, but you get the point.)

Let me make this really personal for a second.

Remember my ulcer story? The one where I was too scared to sell my course? What I didn’t tell you was that while I was busy being “perfect,” people were struggling with the exact problems I knew how to solve.

They were wasting money on approaches that didn’t work.

They were getting frustrated and giving up.

They were putting their dreams on hold.

All because I was too wrapped up in my own fears to help them.

That’s not humility.

That’s not being “non-salesy.”

That’s just selfish.

And before you think I’m being too harsh, let me show you what happens when someone gets this right.

Let me tell you about a powerhouse named McCall Jones.

(And no, I’m not just saying that because she’s my sister-in-law. Though she is that too – marrying my brother was probably the best decision either of them ever made. We’ve been family for over a decade now, and honestly? That “in-law” part feels weird to say because she’s straight-up just my sister.)

Here’s what you need to know about McCall:

This woman was crushing it in the entertainment world. Like, legitimately crushing it. We’re talking multiple movie credits. An actual IMDB page. Those sweet royalty checks still showing up in her mailbox kind of crushing it.

But her real passion? Teaching kids how to perform.

Makes perfect sense, right? She’d been a child performer herself, so she took all that experience – the singing, the acting, the whole package – and poured it into helping kids become amazing performers themselves.

She was building, what she thought, was her dream business.

Then, in 2020 I got invited to speak at an event called Funnel Hacking Live, an event put on by billion-dollar business owner Russell Brunson. (It’s kind of a big deal in the online marketing world, and I was pumped about it.)

McCall didn’t know anything about internet marketing but she knew I was excited about it, wanted to support me and thought “Hey, could be a fun trip!”

But something happened at that event that changed everything.

McCall was sitting in the audience, watching all these entrepreneurs present on stage. And one speaker after another, she keeps leaning over to me saying things like:

• “Oh my gosh, I can help them.”
• “Their content is amazing but it’s not landing.”
• “If I just had five minutes with them…”
• “They’re literally just a few tweaks away from nailing this.”

And here’s what made it special – she wasn’t being critical. She wasn’t sitting there thinking “these people stink.” She was seeing potential.

With her performer’s brain, she was spotting exactly what these entrepreneurs needed to make their messages magnetic. All these tiny adjustments that could take their good content and make it absolutely unforgettable.

So what does McCall do?

(Because this is McCall we’re talking about, and she doesn’t do anything halfway.)

She looks at me and says, “Russell told me if I can help people, it’s my moral obligation to do it.  So, I’m starting a new business…TODAY!”

Right there, that day, she picked a quit date for her existing business.

No careful testing of the waters.

No gradual transition.

Just straight-up “I’m going all in.”

She decided she’d rather help entrepreneurs get their good messages out into the world than keep teaching child performers. Complete pivot. Because she saw people she could help, and that was all she needed to know.

And she actually did it.

Want to see what happened within just one year?

This 60-second video says it all:

See what happened there?

McCall could have stayed in her comfort zone. She could have said “I don’t want to be pushy” or “I don’t want to seem salesy.”

Instead, she looked at those entrepreneurs struggling on stage and thought, “I can help them.”

And that changed everything.

Because here’s what happens when you flip the script from “I don’t want to be salesy” to “I can help them”:

• Your perfectionism gets overwhelmed by your desire to serve
• Your “what ifs” about failure turn into “what ifs” about missing your chance to make a difference
• Your fear of rejection gets replaced by a fear of not helping

And suddenly, selling isn’t about you anymore.

It’s about that person freezing across the street.

It’s about that entrepreneur who can’t get their message across.

It’s about that business owner losing money because they don’t know what you know.

So here’s my challenge to you:

Look across your metaphorical street right now.

Who is freezing?

Who needs what you have?

Who’s struggling with a problem you can solve?

Now ask yourself: What kind of person do you want to be?

The one who stands there with the jacket, worried about being “too pushy”?

Or the one who walks across the street and says “Hey, I noticed you’re shivering. I’ve got something that might help.”

Because that’s all selling really is.

It’s seeing someone in pain and saying “I can help.” 

(That’s it.  THAT’S THE WHOLE THING.)

In the next chapter, we’re going to get into exactly what this stripped-down sales process looks like in your business. But first, I need you to make a decision:

Are you going to be the person who watches others struggle because you’re afraid of being “too salesy”? Or are you going to be the person who helps?

(Choose wisely. Someone’s freezing out there right now.)

Chapter 4: You can’t help everyone

Okay, so you’re ready to be a hero.

You’ve got your jacket. You’re feeling moral. You’re pumped to help people who are shivering.

There’s just one tiny problem…

The world is full of people with problems. Like, an overwhelming number of problems.

Some people are thirsty.

Some people are lonely.

Some people need traffic to their websites.

Some people have terrible customer service.

Some people just really need a nap.

(And some people need all of the above. We call those people “entrepreneurs,” haha.)

But here’s the thing – you can’t help everyone.

And you shouldn’t try to.

Let me give you an example from my own business:

One of the things I do is build sales funnels. And, I’m really, really good at it.

But you know what I don’t do?

I don’t try to help people who are literally freezing. Because I don’t have a clothing line. 

I don’t try to help people who need video editing, because that’s not my zone of genius.

I help people who need more sales through better funnels. That’s it. That’s my lane.

And staying in that lane is exactly what makes me effective.

Here’s why this matters:

You might be tempted to try to solve every problem you see. That’s normal. It’s especially normal when you’re just starting out and you’re afraid of missing opportunities.

But trying to be everything to everyone is the fastest way to become nothing to no one.

Instead, you need to get crystal clear on two things:

1. What specific pain can you remedy?
2. Who has that specific pain?

Let’s break this down with a few examples:

If you can cure headaches, look for people with headaches.

If you can fix acne, look for people with acne.

If you can build websites, look for people who need websites.

(Notice I didn’t say “look for people with heads” or “look for people with skin” or “look for people with businesses.” Be specific!)

But here’s where it gets interesting…

Sometimes people in pain have… preferences.

(I know, how dare they?!)

Let’s say you’re selling energy drinks to people who need a boost. You’ve got your generic store-brand energy drink that works just fine.

But some people only want Red Bull.

What do you do?

You’ve got two options:

Option #1: Expand your remedy (stock every energy drink known to mankind)

Option #2: Narrow your pain focus (specifically target people who prefer your brand)

Here’s a real example:

I got a message from a guy named Michael. He was struggling because he was trying to sell funnel-building services, but kept running into people who wanted different software platforms.

Some wanted ClickFunnels.

Some wanted Kajabi.

Some wanted whatever new platform launched yesterday.

He felt like he was constantly either:

1. Having to learn new platforms, or
2. Trying to convince people to use his preferred platform

(Spoiler alert: Both of those options kind of suck.)

So what’s the solution?

Michael could either:

Option #1: Become an expert in every funnel-building platform ever created (hello, burnout), or…

Option #2: Narrow his focus to “I build sales funnels for people who use ClickFunnels”

Guess which one is easier?

Guess which one makes his marketing clearer?

Guess which one actually helps him help more people?

(If you guessed “narrow the focus,” give yourself a gold star.)

Because here’s the truth: When someone says “I need a funnel but I only use [specific platform],” they’re actually doing you a favor.

They’re telling you whether or not you’re the right person to help them.

And if you’re not? That’s okay.

Really. It is.

Because somewhere out there, someone is freezing.

And they specifically need the exact jacket you have.

And they’re happy to pay for it.

Those are your people.

That’s your zone.

That’s where you can make the biggest impact.

So instead of trying to stock every jacket in every size in every color…

Instead of trying to convince people they need a different kind of jacket…

Instead of trying to become an expert in parkas AND windbreakers AND raincoats…

Just focus on finding the people who are:

1. Actually cold (real pain)
2. Looking for exactly what you have (matched solution)

Because those people?

They’re not going to need convincing.

They’re not going to need manipulation.

They’re not going to need fancy sales tactics.

They just need to know you exist.

And that’s what we’re going to talk about in the next chapter – exactly how to let your freezing people know you’ve got their jacket.

(But first, take a moment to get really clear on exactly what kind of jacket you’re selling. Trust me, it matters.)

Chapter 5: How to find your customers (they’re hiding in plain sight)

Here’s something that’ll blow your mind: People in pain like to hang out together.

(No, seriously. It’s scientifically proven. Go read Psychology Today if you don’t believe me.)

Think about it – have you ever noticed how people with similar problems tend to find each other? It’s like there’s this magnetic force that pulls together everyone dealing with the same stuff.

Why?

Because we all want validation! We want to know we’re not alone. We want to hear someone else say “Oh my gosh, me too!” when we talk about our struggles.

And here’s why this matters for you: Your “freezing” people? They’re already gathered in groups, just waiting for someone with a jacket to show up.

Let me show you what I mean.

Just last night, I hopped into a Facebook group for small business owners. Within 60 seconds, I found this post:

“Hi everyone! I’m really struggling with getting more customers for my low-ticket fitness membership. I’ve tried everything – freebies, social media, even paid ads – but nothing’s working. Any advice would be appreciated!”

Sound familiar?

• Clear pain? Check.
• Actually looking for help? Check.
• Ready to pay for a solution? Check.

And she’s not alone. There are literally THOUSANDS of people just like her, all gathered in places where they can share their struggles.

For example, struggling to book Podcasts? There’s a 40,000-member Facebook group for that. Struggling to book stages? There’s a 17,000-member group for that.

But here’s where most people mess up when looking for clients:

They fish in the wrong ponds.

Let’s say you sell those warm winter coats.

Where are you more likely going to find your customers?

In the “Minnesota pond?”

Or, in the “California pond?”

Obviously, the Minnesota pond where the average winter temperature is -2°F to 20°F!

Let’s go back to our fitness example.

Say you’re amazing at helping fitness coaches get more clients. Where are you more likely to find someone who needs your help:

• Option #1: In a Facebook group specifically for fitness coaches trying to grow their business
• Option #2: On your personal Facebook profile where your Aunt Susan keeps posting cat videos

(Nothing against Aunt Susan – I’m sure her cats are adorable. But unless she’s secretly running an underground fitness empire, she’s probably not your ideal client.)

Here’s the truth: Your network isn’t broken. You’re just swimming in the wrong pool.

Your people are out there. They’re gathered. They’re waiting.

But (and this is important), you need to be specific about who you’re looking for.

Let me show you why:

If I told you to your customer was a woman, you’d have to sort through thousands of women that may or may not actually want your product.

But if I said “Find a woman wearing glasses and a red hat who’s sitting in the third row,” suddenly your job got a lot easier.

That’s what happens when you get specific about who you’re trying to help.

And here’s where it gets really interesting:

The more specific you get about who you help, the more places you can find them.

Let’s say you help dentists grow their practices.

Suddenly you can find them:

• In dental Facebook groups
• At dental conferences
• In dental publications
• And (here’s the crazy part) by literally driving down the street and looking for dental offices

(One of my students actually did this. He’d create a sample website for each dentist’s office, walk in with it already mockup up, and say “Hey, I started building this for you…” Guess what? It worked.)

But what if you’re not sure where your people hang out?

Here’s a quick cheat sheet:

1. Look for Facebook groups around your topic
2. Check professional associations
3. Find industry publications
4. Look for YouTube channels they might watch
5. Search for podcasts they might listen to
6. Find conferences they might attend
7. Look for online forums they might use
8. Check LinkedIn groups
9. Search Instagram hashtags
10. And yes, sometimes just Google “[your target market] near me”

The point is, your people are out there. They’re gathered. They’re probably even talking about their problems right now.

They’re just not gathered on your personal social media feed between your high school friend’s vacation photos and your cousin’s political rants.

So stop trying to sell to people who aren’t looking to buy.

Stop trying to create pain that doesn’t exist.

Stop trying to convince the wrong people to work with you.

Instead:

1. Get crystal clear on exactly who you help
2. Figure out where those people already gather
3. Go there
4. Help them

That’s it.

(I know, I keep saying that. But it really is that simple.)

Because when you find the right people in the right places, something magical happens:

You don’t have to convince them they need help.

You don’t have to manipulate them into working with you.

You don’t have to use fancy sales tactics or psychological tricks.

You just have to show up and say “Hey, I noticed you’re freezing. I’ve got a jacket that might help.”

And that’s exactly what we’re going to talk about in the final chapter – how to actually have those conversations without feeling like a sleazy salesperson.

(But first, go find your people. They’re waiting for you.)

Chapter 6: You can’t make money if you don’t ask people for money

I was just starting in the online world.

And by “just starting,” well…I had only made a single sale. And, it didn’t go well (turns out I signed on a crazy client). So, I got scared and took myself a bit out of the game.

But, I kept lingering around the online business world.

Which led to me getting on a call with a woman. She was this hard-core biker chick with a really cool online business. She had asked to meet and I was thrilled, thinking she was a potential customer.

Instead, the phone call went like this:

“Kathryn, let’s cut the chit chat. Tell me this: How much money have you made this year in your business?”

I was shocked at her bluntness.

I fumbled out a response that was like, “Well, I’m focusing on x this year and here is my strategy…”

She stops me.

“Kathryn, just answer the question. How much money have you made this year?”

I answered her, “$0.”

Then, here was her following up…

“Well, how many people have you asked for money?”

I answered sheepishly, “No one.”

To which she responded, “Kathryn, you can’t f****** make money if you don’t f****** ask people for money.” Her delivery, plus her pairing of choice words, burned this moment into my memory.

But, for as aggressive as this unsolicited coaching was, I’m so grateful.

“You can’t make money if you don’t ask people for money.”

That single piece of advice changed the trajectory of my business, and therefore, my life.

It was the first thing that gave me sufficient courage (and logical explanation) to sell.

And, I hope it does for you, too.

So here we are.

You’ve got your jacket.

You know who’s freezing.

You know where they’re hanging out.

The only thing left to do is actually help them.

GO MAKE SALES.

And if you want to go grom one sale at a time to getting hundreds of perfect customers at once…

I’ve put together something special for you.

It’s my Book Joint Ventures course.

It contains my step-by-step system for convincing other audience owners to let you pitch YOUR product to their AUDIENCE — all for $0 upfront (you only split the profits you make on the backend).

(Yes, that means no ad spend, no risky investments, no “building for years” before you see results.)

Inside, I’ll show you:

• How to find perfect partners (even if you’re just starting out)
• How to get them to say yes to promoting you
• How to structure deals so everyone wins
• How to turn one partnership into many
• And most importantly – how to do it all ethically and authentically

Get access here.

Because here’s the truth:

Your jacket? The solution you have?

It could help hundreds, maybe thousands of people.

But only if they know you exist.

You can keep going at the one by one pace…

Or you can go where they’re already gathered — and pitch to the whole entire group.

The choice is yours.

But whatever you do, please – don’t let fear keep you from helping the people who need you.

Don’t let perfectionism stop you from making a difference.

Don’t let “what ifs” hold you back from changing lives.

Remember: Someone out there is freezing right now.

And you’ve got their jacket.

Ready to help hundreds of people at once?

Click here to learn more about Book Joint Ventures and start getting in front of the perfect audiences for your solution.

(Your freezing people are waiting.)